Winston-Salem preview and picks

We are one week away from the season’s fourth and final Grand Slam. That means only one word for the preceding tournament on the schedule: uncertainty. You never know what you are going to get from these kinds of events, with much of the field having bigger and better things (see: Open, U.S.) on its mind. We do know, however, that all things considered it will be a stellar field in Winston-Salem. Familiar U.S. Open Series participants John Isner and Kevin Anderson lead the way as the top two seeds.

Winston-Salem Open

Where: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $598,260
Points: 250

Top seed: John Isner
Defending champion: Jurgen Melzer

Draw analysis: Isner won this title the last time he played (2012) before pulling out last year due to a run to the Cincinnati final. The 6’10’’ American is always a force in the United States and nowhere is he more comfortable than at his hometown tournament (he’s from Greensboro, N.C.). Friday’s draw ceremony certainly did nothing to alter Isner’s status as title favorite. The next highest seed in the top half is Tommy Robredo, who could be somewhat fatigued and may not be craving much more match practice after reaching the Cincinnati quarterfinals. Isner would be expected to handle everyone else in the top half—possibly even with ease.

The other side of the bracket is much deeper, starting with Anderson. It also boasts in-form Americans Steve Johnson and Donald Young, Atlanta semifinalist Benjamin Becker, Hamburg champion Leonardo Mayer, and Jerzy Janowicz—who upset Grigor Dimitrov at the Western & Southern Open. Johnson snagged the 16th and final seed, but that may not help him much. He will likely open against doubles partner Sam Querrey, who recently beat Johnson in the Atlanta first round. The winner would likely meet Anderson in the last 16. Young is on course for a third-round rematch of a French Open five-setter against Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (the Spaniard survived a spirited performance by Young).

Second-round upset alerts: (WC) Ryan Harrison over (7) Lukas Rosol. Harrison has essentially missed the entire U.S. Open Series with a foot injury (he lost his first match in Atlanta severely hampered and has not played since). Getting past Jan-Lennard Struff won’t be easy, but if Harrison can get a match under his belt then he should have good shot against Rosol. The Czech has been AWOL throughout this hard-court stretch.

(WC) Robby Ginepri over (8) Marcel Granollers. Ginepri is not exactly on fire, but even this slight resurgence should be giving the veteran American plenty of confidence. He generally plays his best tennis this time of year and it would not be surprising to see the run continue against Granollers, who lost a dreadful second-round match in Cincinnati against Fernando Verdasco

Hot: Tommy Robredo, Leonardo Mayer, Yen-Hsun Lu, Donald Young, Steve Johnson, Benjamin Becker, Blaz Rola

Cold: Jarkko Nieminen, Benoit Paire, Igor Sijsling, Ryan Harrison, Nicolas Mahut, Paul-Henri Mathieu, Jerzy Janowicz, Thomaz Bellucci, Sam Querrey

Quarterfinal predictions: John Isner over Pablo Andujar, Martin Klizan over Yen-Hsun Lu, Benjamin Becker over Edouard Roger-Vasselin, and Steve Johnson over Donald Young

Semifinals: Isner over Klizan and Johnson over Becker

Final: Isner over Johnson

Comments and your own predictions are appreciated!